Breslau, 1912. Frank Marshall, the great American tactician, finished his game against Stepan Levitsky with 23...Qg3!! — placing his queen on a square where it could be captured three different ways, every one of them losing for White. Legend says delighted spectators showered the board with gold coins. Tim Krabbé later ranked it among the most beautiful moves ever played.
A sacrifice doesn't have to be captured to win — sometimes its power is that it can't be safely taken at all. Marshall's queen sits en prise to a pawn, a queen and a rook, yet each capture loses on the spot. Look for the move that paralyses, not just the move that grabs.
Legend has it that the audience was so dazzled by 23...Qg3!! that they showered the board with gold pieces. Chess historians debate whether it literally happened, but the move's beauty has never been in doubt.
Every capture loses. 24.hxg3 Ne2# is mate; 24.fxg3 Ne2+ wins the queen; 24.Qxg3 Ne2+ forks king and queen. And ignoring it allows mate on h2. The queen is untouchable and unstoppable.
Yes — take the board as Marshall at the critical moment and try to find 23...Qg3!!, or replay the whole game, no sign-up.
BetterChess is a practice tool — we make no guarantee you'll reach 1800 or any rating. This is a historical game; the analysis is our own.